ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. press — newspapers
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. press — a publisher
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. fork — in a road
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bat — the animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. press — to push
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hand — help

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com